“He is going to have them boys ready to go”: Rutgers CB Robert Longerbeam heaps praise on Texas’ new CB coach Mark Orphey

Rutgers cornerback Robert Longerbeam had high praise for Texas' new safeties coach, Mark Orphey, during a press session at the NFL combine. In a clip shared by college football insider CJ Vogel on X, Longerbeam emphasized Orphey's strong connection with his players.

“He's a player's coach,” Longerbeam said. “He builds relationships with everybody in his room. He's a great coach. He gets you prepared, and mentally he's always there for you. So, he's going to have them boys ready to go at Texas.”

Orphey, who spent the past three seasons coaching cornerbacks at Rutgers, replaces Blake Gideon, who recently left Texas to become Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, five former Rutgers players will showcase their talents at the 2025 NFL combine in Indianapolis: linebacker Tyreem Powell, running back Kyle Monangai, offensive lineman Hollin Pierce, cornerback Robert Longerbeam and long snapper Austin Riggs.

Mark Orphey’s key role in developing NFL-caliber defensive backs at Rutgers

Two of Mark Orphey’s pupils have already made the leap to the league, with a potential for more in the upcoming draft.

In 2023, CB Christian Braswell was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round. Opponents completed 24 of 41 passes against him for 218 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

A year later, Max Melton became a second-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals. As a rookie, he played all 17 games, tallying 51 tackles, a forced fumble and five passes defended.

At Rutgers in 2023, Melton posted a 73.5 defensive grade and a 74.1 coverage grade. Opposing quarterbacks completed 24 of 44 passes for 252 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions against him.

Since Greg Schiano's first stint as Rutgers' head coach, 11 Scarlet Knights defensive backs have been drafted. Mark Orphey has coached two of them, and with the 2025 NFL draft nearing, that total could soon reach 13, per On3.